AVP, Model Validation

Company: Synchrony Financial
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: March 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job ID: 2600389 Job Description: Role Summary/Purpose The AVP, Model Validation is responsible for model validation and ensure they are meeting Model Risk Management policies, standards, procedures as well as regulations (OCC2011-12/SR 11-7). This role requires high level of expertise with minimal technical supervision, requiring the ability to lead validation projects, take accountability for validation results across various model categories, and make meaningful contributions to projects. Our Way of Working We’re proud to offer you flexibility. At Synchrony, our way of working allows you to have the option to work from home near one of our Hubs or come into one of our offices. Occasionally you will be required to commute or travel for in person engagement activities such as business or team meetings, training and culture events. *Field Sales and some Commercial team roles may have varied location requirements based upon partner obligations or preferences. Essential Responsibilities Serve as a key contributor and lead analyst performing model validation with minimal supervision for credit acquisition, account management, fraud and marketing models built using both machine learning algorithms and traditional logistic regression techniques. Perform the full scope end-to-end validation independently for assigned internally and vendor developed new models and existing models. Lead/Perform the review and maintenance of relevant model and validation documentation, perform in depth analysis on large data sets and reports to support discussions on key analytics and model risks Work closely within the Risk organization to validate accuracy and performance of all models, whether statistical/AI/ML or non-statistical to identify any issues requiring further investigation, and resolve problems independently. Collaborate with the Synchrony Financial business teams to uncover and highlight risk associated with models. Keep pace with the latest model developments in academia, regulatory environment, risk technology (vendor and in-house) and financial services industries in order to provide expert guidance to the Synchrony Financial functions. Support regulatory examinations and internal audits of the modeling process and selected models samples. Provide technical consultation and process improvement to model risk management on recommended solution based on solid research in the academic and industry practice. Perform other duties and/or special projects as assigned. Qualifications/Requirements Master's degree (or foreign equivalent) in Statistics, Mathematics, Data Science or related quantitative field and 4 years' experience in model development / model validation experience in financial services, banking, or retail. 4 years of hands-on and proven experience with data science and statistical tools including Python, R, SAS, SQL, SPARK, Data Lake, H2O, SageMaker and AWS. 4 years of statistical analysis and the handling large amounts of data and analyzing for trends. 4 years of experience with the application of US regulatory requirements for Model Risk Management. Ability and flexibility to travel for business as required Desired Characteristics: Strong knowledge of Regulatory requirements for Model Risk Management with proven track records of delivering Regulatory requirements. 5 years of proven experience in Model Risk Management in modeling and validation in the financial services industry including both analytic/modeling/quantitative experience and governance or other credit/financial discipline. Experience in people and project management, including demonstrated ability to develop actionable plan to meet high level objectives, strong execution, and timeline sensitive deliverables. Sharp focus on accuracy with extreme attention to detail. Knowledge of Credit Card/Consumer Finance products and business model. Experience with Machine Learning / AI methodologies and related applications, including generative AI model validation and validation framework development. Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills. Eligibility Requirements You must be 18 years or older You must have a high school diploma or equivalent You must be willing to take a drug test, submit to a background investigation and submit fingerprints as part of the onboarding process You must be able to satisfy the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. New hires (Level 4-7) must have 9 months of continuous service with the company before they are eligible to post on other roles. Once this new hire time in position requirement is met, the associate will have a minimum 6 months’ time in position before they can post for future non-exempt roles. Employees, level 8 or greater, must have at least 18 months’ time in position before they can post. All internal employees must consistently meet performance expectations and have approval from your manager to post (or the approval of your manager and HR if you don’t meet the time in position or performance expectations). Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Our Commitment When you join us, you’ll be part of an inclusive culture where your individual skills, experience, and voice are not only heard – but valued. Together, we’re building a future where we can all belong, connect, and turn ideals into action. More than 50% of our workforce is engaged in our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), where community and passion intersect to offer a safe space to learn and grow. This starts when you choose to apply for a role at Synchrony. We ensure all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We’re proud to have an award-winning culture for all. Grade/Level 10 The salary range for this position is 100,000.00 – 170,000.00 USD Annual and is eligible for an annual bonus based on individual and company performance. Actual compensation offered within the posted salary range will be based upon work experience, skill level or knowledge. Salaries are adjusted according to market in CA, NY Metro and Seattle. Reasonable Accommodation Notice Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment. If you need special accommodations, please call our Career Support Line so that we can discuss your specific situation. We can be reached at 1-866-301-5627. Representatives are available from 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday, Central Standard Time Job Family Group: Credit

Keywords: Synchrony Financial, Rancho Santa Margarita , AVP, Model Validation, Accounting, Auditing , Costa Mesa, California